Donald Trump calls California independents urging switch to GOP

Donald Trump on Friday issued a robocall to independent voters in California, urging them to re-register as Republicans in order to vote for Trump in the state’s primary election.

Trump leads his competitors among likely Republican voters statewide. But the call to independents, which a Trump adviser said was going out to about 1 million voters, underscores how significant even a handful of congressional districts – and their delegates – could prove to his campaign.

The state’s June 7 primary is likely to determine whether the New York businessman can amass the 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the nomination.

Republicans in California, unlike Democrats, do not allow independent voters to cast ballots in their primary election.

“California has a closed presidential primary,” Trump says in the call. “In order for your vote to count, you must be registered to vote as a Republican.”

Independent voters make up nearly a quarter of California’s electorate, with more than 4 million voters stating no party preference.

Tim Clark, Trump’s state director, said, “We feel very strongly that these are our people.”